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On Monday 10th March, Wellington College Schola Cantorum, together with three Sixth Form organists, visited Oxford for a day of workshops and masterclasses with musicians at the University.
The day began with a vocal workshop with Will Dawes, Director of Music at Somerville College. Amalia O writes:
On Monday 10th March, Schola Cantorum were fortunate enough to spend the afternoon at Summerville College in Oxford for a Masterclass with William Dawes. We spent the session focusing on ‘Crucifixus a 8’ by Lotti, as well as the psalms for Evensong at Christ Church. This was such an enriching opportunity, and it really gave us a sense of what Choir singing at University has to offer. William Dawes’ intricate attention to detail had a significant impact on our performance of these pieces, and will benefit our ensemble singing and music making in the long term.
Organ pupils travelled to Somerville College for a masterclass with George Herbert, Assistant Organist at New College. Stephanie O writes:
Three of our organists went to St Edmund Hall for a workshop with George Herbert. I enjoyed the challenge of playing on a smaller organ with a straight pedal board. I played the Trio on “Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend” by J.S. Bach and was encouraged to think about phrasing and the interactions between the parts in the trio. It was a hugely rewarding session in which we also had the chance to gain advice about the organ scholarship process for Oxbridge.
This was followed by an informative session led by Peter Holder, Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral. Schola Cantorum then sang Evensong, with Stephanie O playing the voluntary on the famous Rieger organ. Hal G-P writes:
Preparing for evensong in the stunning Christ Church Cathedral, we were lucky enough to experience a masterclass from Peter Holder who guided us through our anthem ‘Abenlied’. He helped us with phrasing and vocal blend, and we benefited from the resonant acoustics which created a wash of sound around the space. It was very special to have access to this building, and with Peter Holder’s help, we were able to conjure a more professional sound.
This was a hugely informative and enjoyable trip, particularly for those considering choral and organ awards at Oxbridge in the years to come. We plan to visit Cambridge University in 2026.
